Many organisations want a positive workplace culture, but creating one is easier said than done. How do you know what your culture is really like? What role do leaders play? And why do some organisations create environments where people thrive, while others struggle with engagement, retention, and performance? In this episode of HR Coffee Time, Fay is joined by workplace culture and leadership expert Aoife O'Brien, founder of Happier at Work and author of the bestselling book Thriving Talent: How Great Leaders Drive Performance, Engagement and Retention. Aoife shares her Thriving Talent framework and practical advice to help organisations create cultures where people can thrive. Together, Fay and Aoife explore psychological safety, leadership, values, strengths, employee needs, and practical ways to improve the experience of work for everyone. In This Episode, You'll Learn:The framework Aoife uses to help organisations create cultures where people thriveWhy psychological safety is the foundation of a thriving workplaceWhy culture is not HR's responsibility aloneThe role leaders play in shaping workplace cultureHow to identify what your workplace culture is really like todayPractical ways to involve employees in shaping cultureWhy many organisations have "accidental leaders" - and the impact this can have on engagement and retentionHow HR can build the business case for investing in leadership developmentWhy values, strengths, and employee needs play such an important role in helping people thrive at workPractical ways to identify your strengths and understand what helps you do your best work Chapters[00:00] - Why workplace culture matters [01:34] - Introducing Aoife O'Brien [04:14] - Why Aoife wrote Thriving Talent [07:09] - The Thriving Talent framework explained [10:00] - The research behind the framework [13:55] - Why psychological safety matters [14:27] - Is workplace culture really HR's responsibility? [17:28] - How to define the culture you want [19:15] - The challenge of accidental leaders [25:27] - Making the business case for leadership development [30:03] - What helps people thrive at work? [35:22] - Values, needs and strengths [39:27 ]- Book recommendations [40:44] - How to connect with Aoife [41:49] - Closing and book giveaway reminder Special Offer for HR Coffee Time ListenersAoife has kindly arranged a 10% discount on her book, Thriving Talent: How Great Leaders Drive Performance, Engagement and Retention. Use this link to access the discount. Useful LinksConnect with Aoife O'Brien on LinkedInVisit Aoife's Happier at Work websiteLearn more about the Thriving Talent bookConnect with Fay on LinkedInLearn about Fay’s Essential HR PlannerLearn about Fay’s Inspiring HR Leadership Programme Books Recommended In This EpisodeThriving Talent: How Great Leaders Drive Performance, Engagement and Retention - Aoife O'BrienInsight: How to succeed by seeing yourself clearly - Dr Tasha EurichDare to Lead - Brené BrownYour Best Meeting Ever - Rebecca Hinds Helpful Episodes to Listen to NextEp 47:Discovering your values to help your HR Career, with Zoe HawkinsEp 107: The Impact of Imposter Syndrome at Work and How to Tackle It Head-On, with Aoife O'BrienEp 136: How to shape a winning workplace culture when you work in HR, with Annabelle Lawson and Paula BrockwellEp 114: What Workplace Culture Is, How to Measure It, and a Surprising Way to Improve It, with Arend BoersemaEp 76: HR Insider tips on how to create an amazing remote working culture, with Claire Cathcart Enjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Sign up for the free weekly HR Coffee Time email to be notified each time a new episode is released - and get free career tips, tools, and resources. Mentioned in this episode: Free Strategic HR Sprint Join the free Strategic HR Sprint and set yourself up for strategic success. 5 easy-to-implement ideas delivered to your inbox across 5 days. The Strategic HR Sprint Kara Connect - Help When It's Needed Most Menopause, grief, ADHD, relationship breakdown... Every day, employees dealing with these situations are turned away by their EAP because they didn't qualify for counselling. When someone finally asks for help, they deserve better. Visit Kara Connect, where no employee is ever turned away. Kara Connect
